The Medical College of Wisconsin is the nation's fourth fastest rising major research medical school in terms of extramurally funded awards by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) since 1995. The Institution now ranks at the 33rd percentile of the 125 schools reporting. One long-term goal is to contribute significantly to the health of the citizens of the United States of America as described in "Healthy People 2010." A means to enhance contribution is to hire research faculty that are conducting research of the quality funded at the level of NIH thus continuing to improve ranking. The Institution is at a point of evolution of a strategic plan where the goals are set to establish path for the next five years of growth (2002-2007). One major area of focus is neuroscience, which includes vision research. The immediate objective is to update and expand existing facilities with the aim of increasing the number of NIH-funded investigators doing neuroscience-related research and training. The specific aim of this project is to construct more research laboratories that are needed to support expansion of vision research efforts as part of neuroscience initiative. It is proposed to convert the seventh floor of the Eye Institute from clinical and administrative space to research laboratories for three investigators and associated core support laboratories. The 20-year-old research laboratories on the eighth floor of the Eye Institute will be remodeled, since the original building design could not have forecast the specific laboratory needs of expanding research staff. The total gain of additional space is for at least two more Principal Investigators (PIs) and correct deficiencies in the current facility. Furthermore, this will add discrete laboratory space to house the modules of Core Grant for Vision Research (P30-EY01931) which supports the research efforts of 12 NIH-funded investigators.